Kant Enclave to be demolished, its occupants issued final notice

Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service
Faridabad, March 19

The Senior Town Planner, Faridabad, has issued final notices to the 20-odd occupants of Kant Enclave, asking them to leave the colony by March 31. The notice has been served on those who have failed to submit an undertaking for vacating the premises by July 31. Only 24 of the 44 residents have given the undertaking, as per the order of the Supreme Court on January 14.

Earlier, the Supreme Court in its order on September 11 last year, had declared Kant Enclave illegal under the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act 1900, and had ordered its demolition. The court had also ordered that Rs 5 crore be deposited for the rehabilitation of the damaged area of the Aravallis, and the authorities concerned were asked to pay compensation to the affected house owners.

The apex court in a hearing on January 14 had extended the demolition deadline for those submitting an undertaking for vacating the land by July 31, but only 24 of the 44 house owners have submitted the affidavit.

“As 20 house owners have failed to submit the undertaking, the department has now issued a final notice to them, asking them to evacuate the enclave by March 31. The department is likely to carry out the demolition after that as no further notice will be served,” said Sanjiv Maan, Senior Town Planner, Faridabad.

Maan said a notice had also been served for submission of details of bank accounts by March 25 for the transfer of the compensation money to the affected residents. The compensation money would be transferred through RTGS. The compensation amount had been decided on the basis of the evaluation done by an approved valuer and it had been placed between Rs 68,000 and Rs 1.28 crore, he said.

Describing the construction here as clear violation of the Act and in blatant defiance of the orders passed by the court from time to time, the apex court had observed that “Kant Enclave is a forest or is a forest land or is required to be treated as a forest or forest land” and absolutely no construction activity could be permitted on it. “All construction activity here since 1992 is illegal and impermissible in law,” it added.